Insights from document testing: how to gain attention

Are you afraid that technology has taught us all to live in a fast multi-tasking world so that your customers and stakeholders have ‘the attention span of a goldfish’?

Don’t worry. Just because many of us multitask while watching movies, that doesn’t mean that we can’t pay attention when we have a goal to achieve. I like this distinction from from Google on how people pay attention, by leaning forward, or leaning back. Whether someone ‘leans forward’ mode or ‘leans back’ mode depends on their goals at the time.

Six ways to gain attention in lean-forward mode

We have put together an infographic summarising the lessons we have learned about how to attract the attention of customers and stakeholders in ‘lean forward mode’. It comes from our own work researching information and from behavioural economics, information designers and information psychologists. The six ways to gain attention are:

Design for the eye

Make people curious

Write about them not you

Start with something easy

Use signs to show new information

Use everyday language

For those of you who want to know where this advice comes from and how to apply it – use our infographic below:

Thank you for your attention! Susan Bell Research has decades of experience and lots of personal interest in helping our clients communicate effectively. Contact Sue to start a conversation.